A lot to be said about the "Body of Christ"

By Fr. Dan Debano
RR Ministerial

Just recently the Catholic Church celebrated a very important feast titled in Latin “Corpus Christi” or translated as the Solemnity of the “Body of Christ.” I believe that no matter what our religious denomination or affiliations may be, there is a lot to say about the “Body of Christ” that will be meaningful to all of us - 21st century disciples of Jesus, with our 21st century concerns, considerations and careers?
Many of us can agree that in our 21st century, we are mostly concerned about “having it our way.” So many people today lead their lives as though they are the stars in a movie, about “their life.” While [our] loved ones and acquaintances’ are reduced to - my parents, my brother, my sister, my friends, my spouse, my employer, my employee, my roommate, my teacher, my student and these other people well, they play their roles in our lives, but “I” am the star. And “I” am the director of my movie; telling these individuals where to go, what to do, and how to do it.
The problem is that many other people don’t want to follow our stage directions and in fact, don’t even want to be in our movie. And we get frustrated and angry, or we get depressed and bitter. Life never seems to go our way. Others don’t want to do it my way.
However, as Christians, disciples of Jesus, we are challenged to do it God’s way. And for us that means “Christ’s Way”. After all, Jesus did say, “I am the Way.” At all Sunday Services, (no matter where you celebrate) we remember the Way of Jesus, - what He did, - is doing, and will do. The whole concept of gathering on Sundays is to do “public work.” We, as followers of Jesus, are doing our “public work” by praising and thanking God as a body of believers. St. Paul in many of his writings calls us the Body of Christ because all Christians are the arms and feet of Jesus on earth. All of us who have accepted Christ into our lives are Jesus’ disciples and have been commissioned to continue his life and work on earth because we are the Body of Christ.
In many of our congregations throughout the Rainy River District, we gather to remember what Jesus said and what Jesus did, especially his Passion, Death, and Resurrection. And we remember that Jesus suffered because of evil and sin in the world. And we remember that Jesus even faced the Powers of Death, for our sake, to save us, to rescue us, to bring us new life, unless we get caught up in this world and think that this life is just about having it our way, and then we live our life being frustrated, angered, embittered, depressed, envious, and resentful – because we didn’t get it our way, we weren’t fulfilled, and happiness wasn’t ours as promised to us by our consumerist society.
During our Sunday Services, we remember that our lives come from God and go to God, and we look toward our Savior, Jesus Christ who has shown us God’s way by reminding us to: Love one another as I have loved you. Be of service. Care for each other. Feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and visit the sick.
Or as St. Francis said:
Lord, make me a channel of your peace
Where there is hatred let me bring your love
Where there is injury, pardon
And where there is doubt, true faith in you.
Where there is despair, let me bring hope
Where there is darkness, only light
And where there is sadness, only joy.
O Master, grant that I may never seek so much to be consoled
As to console
To be understood as to understand,
To be loved as to love with all my soul.
Most importantly, we remember what Jesus said, and what Jesus did by listening to His Word during our Sunday services. When we participate through listening, Jesus becomes present to each of us in a unique way. We are not only sitting in our pews listening to our brothers and sisters proclaim to us God Word, we are “digesting” His word. We are being nourished by His Word so that we can take Jesus into our bodies, into our hearts, and into the very depth of our lives. He comes into our lives to nourish us and refresh us so that we can leave our churches and live the Way of Jesus – God’s Way – and not just our way; And that we may have the strength to live the Prayer of St. Francis.
Our life is not a movie in which we are the star. Life is a journey, from God and to God. And we are called to walk in the footsteps of Jesus. And at our Sunday Services we recall the Way of Jesus, we who now are the Body of Christ in our world.
As you plan your summer activities, don’t forget to schedule that one hour on Sunday’s to be with your brothers and sisters in Christ to do you “public work” by praising and thanking God as a body of believers.
May each of us living in the Rainy River District be Christ in our world this day, and everyday.